Hello everyone! Im a 40 yr old mom of 2. I've struggled with 90 to 100 lbs to lose since I was 24 and had an unfortunate reaction to the Norplant birth control....that caused me to gain over 90 lbs in less than 3 months. I went from a nice 130 lbs right after the birth of my 1st child, to 230 lbs. In the past 16 yrs I have managed to lose those 90-100 lbs no less than5 times. It ALWAYS comes back. I'm at the age now where I want to spend time doing other things than feeling fat and sluggish and out of breath. I don't want to live the rest of my life worrying about my weight.....I want to LIVE!!!! I'm hoping this surgery will be the tool that helps me do just that.

I'm scheduled for April 11, with Dr Almanza. I'm still trying to decide whether to have the plication or the gastrectomy....

I personally went to visit Dr. Almanza (I live in San DIego) who I like very much and I plan to have my surgery with him in few months (not scheduled yet). I too am considering plication but Dr. Almanza really is in favor of gastric sleeve and after hearing him I am now considering the sleeve over plication. Dr. Almanza told me that his patients have had greater results over the long term including himself and his wife. Do your homework on plication vs sleeve, or ask Dr. Almanza. Please keep us up-to-date.

As you, I gained, lost, and regained. After losing 90 "the right way" I emotionally put 65 back on...45 of that in 3 months. I was out-of-control which made my final decision asap! The Sleeve has been a wonderful tool for me. I'm 3 months out & can eat anything but alot less of it. Good luck = YOU're worth it!

So it's only 11 days until my surgery! I've decided to have the gastrectomy instead of the plication. I mean, am I really worried about reversal?????? Haha! I'm nervous, and I scan the VSG boards daily!

How is everyone doing?????

Please keep us informed on how YOU'RE doing, ok?!! April 11th is coming soooon = you'll do great!

So it's only 11 days until my surgery! I've decided to have the gastrectomy instead of the plication. I mean, am I really worried about reversal?????? Haha! I'm nervous, and I scan the VSG boards daily!

How is everyone doing?????

Today I started my full liquid 4 day diet. For the past few weeks I have stayed on a liquid morning and afternoons and high Protein no carbs no fat meals at night.

What a conniving evil thing the mind can be! Here I have psyched myself up for all liquids and on the day I start I wake up hungry like a wolf! Then the men in my house invite me to go watch them eat breakfast! Heheh! They didn't mean any harm, they just forgot. But the head is playing games with my stomach! it's almost like I'm hungry just because I know I can't chew. WIERD!

So here is my official "Before" pic.... UGH!

we're at the airport about to go to san Diego! Omg!

I don't know why anyone would EVER want to reverse this surgery :-) You've made a great decision! I've never even understood why plications exist. Why would you want to have all of the rest of your stomach still hanging around and possibly causing problems?

Good luck with your surgery! It is all SO worth it!

Congrats girl :-) Now you are gonna feel like crap for a few days, but not too long! So just be prepared for that. Dr. Almanza rocks! I had my sleeve with him 03/18/11 and everything has been going good and getting better each day. My story was the same as yours except I couldn't blame my initial weight gain on birth control LOL. I gained a significant amount of weight soon out of high school and once I gained some more with the birth of my first son......it has been a roller coaster ever since. Struggling in the 200's for so long and with my third son who is 3 months old, I got way up into the 300's!!! After that, I'd had enough!! Schedule my surgery when my son was one month old and went when he was two months......I mean I wasn't wasting anymore time or life for that matter. So I know how much of a nightmare it can be. Good luck and keep us posted. :-)

Day 3 post op.....I feel FANTASTIC!!!!!! Day 2 was rough but as soon as they removed my drain this morning its like all the pain is gone! Except for the incision sites, I have no pain! This is incredible! Been sipping and walking like crazy .... all I can say is I wish I had done this sooner!!!!

I'm so glad to hear that everything went good and that you are feeling GrrrrREAT! LOL I was the same as you 3 days post op, walking fine and sipping tons of baby sips. I'm almost a month out now and I can handle mushies, tuna and seafood meats like scallops and snow crab very well (they have lots of protein too by the way), which is especially good if you have a hard time choking down any type of protein drink on the planet like me! I wish you the best of luck and success with your weight loss. I lost 20lbs the first two weeks and had the dreaded third week stall everybody talks about, but right after dropped another 7lbs in three days. So, don't fret if or when the scale doesn't move on or about the 3rd or 4th week because it is normal. I too wish I had went to Dr. Almanza a few years back when I didn't have as much to lose :-( Oh well better later than never right! I take a One a Day Women's Active Metabolism vitamin, a vitamin B-6 high potency for energy and metabolism and a hair/skin/nails vitamin from Wal-mart. Even with such a little amount of food I feel FANTASTIC!!!! Take Care. You are going to do really well and lose all of your weight :-)

So glad to hear you are doing great! I am counting the days until mine....

8 days post op and if the scale is to be believed......down 22 lbs????? NO WAY!!!!

I'd like to thank everyone who has posted here!!!! It's so encouraging to hear from you and hear how you are doing and your hopes, expectations, accomplishments!! I LOVE IT!

Keep em coming!

Christal

22lb in 8 days? That is just awesome, you go girl!!!

OMG!! That is awesome Christal! I go to the doctor tomorrow and will see what 7 days post op brings. Keep working that sleeve girl!!

Renee